


Off to a Heavy Start

by fr0sted_fox (MoosesnMaple)



Category: Bleach
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oblivious!Kisuke, Post-Canon, Tired!Ichigo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:08:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24381823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoosesnMaple/pseuds/fr0sted_fox
Summary: The question “Will you go out with me?” was not what Kisuke expected to hear when eating lunch with Ichigo, but when did Ichigo ever do what was expected?UraIchi Week 2020 Day 5 - Fake Dating AU/Idiots in Love
Relationships: Kurosaki Ichigo/Urahara Kisuke
Comments: 26
Kudos: 203
Collections: UraIchi Week 2020





	1. Ichigo's Proposal

**Author's Note:**

> Title and initial inspiration from 18 by Anarbour  
> My first Bleach fanfic in probably a decade and my first UraIchi fic ever, I'm sorry for any possible OOCness! I'm very nervous to post but I hope you all enjoy :)

The shoten was quiet in the evening. Kisuke had sensed Ichigo entering the premises at some point, he still wasn’t able to completely hide his reiatsu, but had not come down to the lab to greet Kisuke; presumably because he had been roped into helping out with something or other by Tessai or the children. The hour was late, though exactly how late he did not know, time had a tendency to lose meaning in the lab. He had missed dinner by a long shot though and judging by the lack of commotion the children were already long in bed, though likely not yet asleep. There was one person asleep though. Ichigo was sat at the low table in the family room, slumped over piles of books and scattered papers, half in japanese and half in english. Diffuse light from the streetlights filtered in through the nearby window, painting Ichigo in a soft golden orange glow. The room was silent aside from his soft snores, a small puddle of drool accumulating on the paper beneath his head. Hopefully it wasn’t anything too important. Ichigo shivered slightly as a cool spring breeze swept through the room and Kisuke frowned to himself. He was in motion before the sight of the blanket even registered in his mind, it wasn’t anything heavy but it would keep the chill out. He draped the blanket over Ichigo’s shoulders and brushed his bangs out of his eyes. Mindlessly, Kisuke closed his eyes and slowly leaned in, a whisper of distance between him and the top of Ichigo’s head-

“Yoohoo, Kisuke! You’re slipping if I can sneak up on you,” her voice was barely above a whisper but it still took all of Kisuke’s decades of training not to jump out of his skin at the sound of Yoruichi’s gruff voice in the window behind him. He turned smoothly, pulling his fan out from god knows where and opening it in front of his face to conceal any possible trace of a traitorous blush that might arise. He was over a century old, he should have more control over himself, damn it. 

“To what do I owe this pleasure Yoruichi-san? Not that I don’t relish the chance to see you, but I was under the impression you were spending time with your little bee.” He spoke softly as he walked towards her perch, careful not to wake Ichigo while keeping his eyes on the black cat in front of him. 

“I heard the most peculiar rumour that my dearest friend was dating a certain orange-haired, hellraizing substitute shinigami and had not taken the time to tell me on his own. Naturally, I had to come to see if it was true.” Her yellow eyes narrowed and flicked over to Ichigo’s slumped, sleeping form, “It would seem they were, so tell me, when’d you finally realise you fell for him?” Kisuke’s eyes widened,

“What do you mean? I'm not- He’s certainly not!” He drew in a deep breath and collected himself, “You need better sources, you’re missing very key details. Let’s leave Ichigo-kun to his rest and I’ll give you the gossip you seem to crave.”

_A few weeks prior..._

_The question “Will you go out with me?” was not what Kisuke expected to hear when eating lunch with Ichigo, and it was admittedly surprising that he could say or do anything that could shock Kisuke after everything that had happened since meeting Ichigo nearly five years prior. Ichigo watched Kisuke’s face journey with both worry and amusement, he hadn’t seen the man without a retort on the tip of his tongue once since getting to know him. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to!” He was quick to reassure. “It’s just that old goat face won’t get off my back about ‘never bringing a girl home’ and going on about how my looks won’t last forever, and I just figured that maybe I should just go for it.” Kisuke desperately wished he had brought his fan with him, it wasn’t in his nature to forget but Ichigo had sprung the lunch plans on him. Kisuke had been under the impression that they would be eating lunch at the shop as usual but Ichigo seemed intent on surprising Kisuke in any way he could that day._

_“Wouldn’t Orihime-chan or one of the girls you attend university with be a better choice? Or even Sado-kun if you wanted to specifically bring home a man?”_

_“Chad’s practically my brother!” Ichigo laughed, “And Rukia might actually kill me if she thought I was making a move on Orihime. Anyways, we tried that before… we just didn’t fit that way. Everyone at school is nice enough but they just don’t get what I’ve been through. I can’t talk to them honestly. You’ve been with me through it all. But if you don’t want to I can always just tell him to piss off some more.” How did he miss that Ichigo and Orihime had dated? And Ichigo’s reasoning was logical to be sure, but it still didn’t explain why Kisuke? Unless…_

_“You want to pretend to date me to make your father mad so he won’t bother you about your love life?” Kisuke was exactly the right person to bring home if Ichigo was looking to make Ishhin incandescently mad. If there was one thing Kisuke excelled at, it was making nobles (former or otherwise) angry._

_“Uh… sure. That’s exactly what I mean.” Ichigo looked down to his chocolate mousse, he had vehemently denied that it was the reason he had brought them to this particular cafe but he certainly did not deny himself the treat._

_“In that case, we need a backstory! Details! How long have we been dating Ichigo~?” Kisuke had a smarmy grin as he all but purred out Ichigos’ name. Romance was not his element, but over the top acting to the point of embarrassing others? That he could do. Especially with everything he owed Ichigo._

_“I dunno… this isn’t really how I saw this going.” Ichigo muttered into his mousse, blushing for a reason Kisuke couldn’t fathom. Possibly the people starting to surreptitiously glance at their table, drawn to Kisuke’s antics._

_“Come now Ichigo, show some enthusiasm for your new boyfriend~ we need to be believable, don’t we?”_

“Kisuke, for a genius you sure are an idiot.” Yoruichi interrupted with a frown, “Either that or you’re being intentionally obtuse and I’m not sure which is worse.” She stared him down from over her sake, disapproval clear on her face. 

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean Yoruichi-san, I am hurt beyond measure that you would say such a thing to me,” He waved his fan around in front of his face in an exaggerated manner, betraying just how hurt he wasn’t. Yoruichi sighed.

“You’re so focused on the past that you can’t see what’s happening in the present. You have to let go Kisuke.” His grin fell and movements stilled at her uncharacteristically serious words. The concern in her voice dug deep in an unexpected way, “You can’t change what happened but you can be better. You _are_ better. Open your eyes to what’s right in front of you before it becomes another thing of the past.” 

“I don’t…” Kisuke was being left speechless far too often as of late, but that thought was fleeting, quickly overtaken by Yoruichi’s words. 

“You do know what I mean. Figure it out, I know you’re not stupid. Talk to me once you’ve finished being dense; I’m going to bed.” Yoruichi retreated to the guest room she had long since claimed for herself, leaving Kisuke in speechless silence. 


	2. Dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long!! Updates may be slow but I promise I have no intentions of abandoning this fic. It will get finished one way or another! 
> 
> Enjoy!

Dinner at the Kurosaki home was an affair, to say the least. Kisuke couldn’t be sure Isshin wouldn’t immediately try to murder him when he was told that he was dating his only son.

That parental rage was second only to what Yuzu could do to him if she disapproved, were Kisuke to believe the rumours he had been told. Fiercely protective of her older brother, it was said that hell hath no fury like a Yuzu scorned and Kisuke was not about to find out for himself. Karin, at least, was a known variable from her time visiting the shop when Ichigo had lost his powers. She was gruff, putting up a tough exterior so her family wouldn’t worry about her, much like her older brother. 

Kisuke knocked on the door hesitantly, a bottle of sake in his hand to hopefully appease Isshin and a bag of candy in the crook of his arm for the girls. Let it not be said that Kisuke walks into a battlefield unprepared. Karin answered the door with as much excitement as she ever expressed, but visibly slumped in disappointment when she saw Kisuke at the door. “Ichi-nii, Urahara-san is here!” She yelled back into the house, “Tell him to go away! We don’t need weirdos like him here when your boyfriend gets here!”

“Uh, Karin-chan,” Kisuke tried to butt in to tactfully tell her that he was the expected boyfriend without making a scene but Ichigo, being his delicate self beat him to it,

“If you want to meet my boyfriend then let him in Karin! Yuzu’s almost done making dinner.” Ichigo had never been one for subtlety and it seemed this would not be an exception. Karin turned back to Kisuke and eyed him with critical silence, arms crossed in front of her chest. Kisuke wordlessly handed her the bag of candy and she moved to let him enter, never taking her eyes off him. He was sure she would be having words with him later, but the promise of Yuzu’s cooking was too good to pass up even for berating her brother’s new boyfriend. 

Kisuke entered the kitchen to find Ichigo setting the table as Yuzu worked away in the kitchen. A soft, slightly exasperated smile graced his lips as he took in Kisuke’s attire, because why would he wear anything but his usual attire even when he was trying to make a good impression on his fake boyfriend’s family. Kisuke counted himself lucky every time he saw Ichigo’s smile, it didn’t come often, especially not after everything he had a hand in putting him through. 

The girls seemed to accept him fairly easily, with a silent acknowledgement of “you seem to make my brother happy but know you’re on thin ice”, and for a moment it seemed like his fears were unfounded, that maybe he would escape this dinner with both his gigai and his pride intact. Then Isshin entered the room. The temperature must have dropped 10 degrees with the shiver that wracked Kisuke’s body. Kisuke had not been expecting to feel nearly this out of place or awkward at the Kurosaki family dinner. It's not like he and Ichigo were actually dating, this was just a ruse to annoy his father and get him off his back. He had even met everyone, save for Yuzu-chan, many times. There was no rational, logical reason for Kisuke to feel nervous about having dinner with the Kurosakis, no matter the circumstances. And yet, when Isshin walked into the dining room, Kisuke felt his heart drop. 

“Ah, Urahara-san what are you doing here? I thought Ichigo was bringing the young man that had captured his heart to dinner tonight.” 

“And here he is, _dad_.” Ichigo’s tone challenged Isshin to say something, anything, as he glared down the table towards his father. Kisuke had to consider his next actions carefully as he took in the staring contest happening across the table. Too flamboyant, too _much_ , and Isshin would be sure to see straight through the ruse. Too little and Isshin may think that Kisuke doesn’t care about his son. 

“Kurosaki-san,” Kisuke looked Isshin in the eye and placed his hand over Ichigo’s where it was pressed palm down on the table as Ichigo stood and glared, “I deeply care for your son. You may think of me what you wish, but he is old enough to make his own decisions and I will stay by him as long as he wishes me to.” Every good lie has a facet of truth, though at that moment Kisuke was not able to tell where the truth ended and the lie began. Had telling a lie ever felt so earnest? Isshin frowned thoughtfully and took in the couple before him, his eyes calculating. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes as he turned and… ran... towards a poster of Masaki. He knelt at the foot of the poster and let out great, heaving, dramatic sobs.

“Masakii~ our dear son is dating a deviant!” His cries quickly turned incomprehensible and Ichigo settled back into his seat. Kisuke went to take his hand away and Ichigo quickly stopped him, holding his hand in a strong grip and looking into Kisuke’s eyes.

“Ignore him. He’s an idiot but this is probably the best outcome that we could have hoped for.” Ichigo’s gaze pierced to the core of Kisuke’s being, an unfamiliar emotion shining behind his brown eyes. There’s no way Ichigo… no, this was just to get Isshin off his back. 

“Hey lovebirds!” Karin broke the moment gently cocooning Kisuke and Ichigo, “Hurry up and eat before it gets cold. You don’t want Yuzu’s hard work to go to waste, _do you?_ ” She specifically eyed Kisuke at that, a threat implicit in her words. 

“Of course Karin-chan, there would be no greater crime than to let this delightful meal go to waste” Kisuke turned his most charming smile towards the sisters, filing the look in Ichigo’s eyes in the back of his mind to be revisited at a later date. Probably. Maybe. Or maybe it would just lurk in his mind and crop up at the worst times, confusing Kisuke but making him feel so, so warm inside. 

The rest of the evening passed without incident, if the constant glaring from Isshin could be ignored. Yuzu’s food was as delicious as he had heard and he was sure to tell her so, in part because it was the truth and she was a sweet girl, but also to try and curry favour with both Isshin and Karin. When dishes were cleared and conversations lulled, Kisuke knew it was time to take his leave.

Ichigo walked him to the front door, a soft, almost indulgent smile on his face, “Thank you for this, _Kisuke_.” _Oh._ Ichigo had never said his name like that before. It felt like a caress, a whisper-soft touch to his heart. 

“It’s no trouble Ichigo, Yuzu-chan’s cooking was well worth anything your father could throw at me,” _and your happiness, too._ Ichigo’s laugh, a short sharp exhale filled the near- silence around them. It seemed they had an audience, if the giggles and whispers from around the corner were any indicators. Well, if they had an audience then Kisuke would put on a show. He took Ichigo’s hand in his own, bringing it slowly to his lips, a whisper of “I had a wonderful time with you this evening, _Ichigo_ ,” and a small smirk before he touched his lips to Ichigo’s knuckles, a soft brush of a kiss. 

The change in Ichigo’s demeanour was almost immediate. An uncharacteristic blush brightening his cheeks, a strange tension entering his body. The hand within Kisuke’s own turned and cupped Kisuke’s cheek, a gentle force slowly pulling his face toward Ichigo’s. His soft-looking lips parting slightly- he couldn’t be… could he? Ichigo’s eyes fluttered shut, but Kisuke’s stayed wide open, taking in every detail of Ichigo’s face, cataloguing every minute detail. They were so close now, eyelashes practically brushing, Ichigo was really going to- THUD. The overexcited sisters fell in a heap in the hallway behind them, breaking Ichigo from his reverie with wide eyes and causing him to quickly snatch his hand back from Kisuke’s face. Kisuke felt almost let down from the loss of contact, though why he couldn’t fathom. He had never been keen on touch, why was a touch from Ichigo so different? Intellect and reason were quickly washing away instinct. Of course, Ichigo would go to kiss him if he knew his sisters were watching, what better way to sell the lie of their relationship to his family? 

“I guess you should probably head back to the shop,” Ichigo’s smile had a resigned disappointment behind it but Kisuke couldn’t fathom why. Ichigo couldn’t have really wanted to kiss him, could he? 

“I’ll see you soon Ichigo,” he smiled and spoke slightly louder, directed at their eavesdroppers, “have a lovely evening Karin-chan, Yuzu-chan.” With a small flourish and bow, Kisuke slipped out the door and into the setting sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ichigo: Shows any signs of being into Kisuke  
> Kisuke: Is this a ruse for your family?
> 
> Kisuke is smart, he'll figure it out... eventually. In the meantime poor Ichigo is close to tearing his hair out in frustration. 
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, leave a kudos and/or a comment if you wanna let me know what you thought! <3


	3. Introspection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not me posting the next chapter within a reasonable timeframe
> 
> Enjoy! <3

If there was any part of him that wished he had kissed Ichigo, it was explained away by logic as flimsy as a house of cards. A slight breeze could cause it to collapse, but any logic was safer than the possibility that Kisuke had feelings for the other man. 

To be back home was somewhat of a relief. It was easy but tiring to play up the overdramatic and oblivious front, though Kisuke was sure that Ichigo could see through it at this point. He would always help Ichigo in whatever way he needed, even if he hadn’t seen play-acting as a couple coming. Kisuke admired Ichigo’s strength and couldn’t fathom going to university as a normal human after all that he had been through; all that Kisuke had put him through. Kisuke’s creation of the hogyoku had been the catalyst for Ichigo’s entire being and led him straight into war twice over. Aizen would have found a way to accomplish his goals, given enough time, but things could have been different if not for Kisuke’s hubris. So many people had been hurt, both directly and indirectly because of him. Especially Ichigo. No one should have had to go through that, not at such a young age. And yet Ichigo had forgiven him time after time, even when Kisuke didn’t deserve it. They had taken so much from him, but somehow the kindness and sheer humanity of Ichigo had been left whole, only splintered under pressures that should have destroyed him entirely. So Kisuke would do this for him. Not like it was a hardship in any way; Kisuke would lay down his life for Ichigo, he almost had once already. Pretending to be in love with Ichigo was frighteningly easy. 

It wouldn’t last long anyway. Ichigo was sure to find someone he was interested in eventually, and they would stage a breakup then go back to normal. He would want to live through his human life before officially joining the ranks of the Shinigami. Ichigo spent most of his time in the city at school anyways, only back in Karakura on the weekends and occasional evening to have dinner with his sisters. Some occasions led Ichigo to spending a weekend afternoon at the shop, doing his homework away from the ‘unpredictable screeching monkey’ that his father was. He claimed he concentrated better at the shop, though Kiskuke had no data to prove such claims. The brightness Ichigo brought with him every time he entered the shop though, that, Kisuke had multiple points of evidence to prove. He could pull Kisuke away from his lab in a way most could not, and he was always so happy to help out around the shop. The small satisfied smile he wore when he tested a new candy for the shop inexplicably made Kisuke’s day better, though he couldn’t pinpoint why. 

He didn’t blame Isshin for being angry, even if that was the point of the ruse. There was too much history there for Isshin not to be furious. Not that Isshin had much ground to stand on. From what Kisuke had heard and observed, Isshin hadn’t been the best father after Masaki died. Kisuke had done much in the name of training Ichigo but the battle reflexes he had as a boy were… concerning. The brashness of the Shiba family did not excuse Isshin’s idea of “training” his son for the battles he would have to face. Ichigo had faced so much, and Kisuke would do anything to make amends for his part in it. 

_Meanwhile…_

Ichigo clenched his teeth and fell back on his bed, hands coming up to pull at his hair in frustration as his head hit the pillow roughly. “What am I doing _wrong_?!”

“Did you try telling him how you feel?” Ichigo sat up abruptly, head turning sharply towards the unexpected sarcastic voice coming from his closet. 

“Rukia?? How long have you been here? How many times do I have to tell you that _my_ closet is not your own personal room?”

“Why wouldn’t I be here to watch you make googly eyes at Urahara-san while your dad oozes rage? I came as soon as I heard!” Rukia looked smug as she sat on her makeshift bed, legs swinging out of sync and leaning forward to eagerly take in the tired look on Ichigo’s face. 

“Who told you??” 

“That’s a secret Ichigo,” Rukia held a finger up to her mouth and winked, “Word travelled fast that the great war hero and substitute shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo started dating former captain and pariah Urahara Kisuke,” She spoke in a mock whisper, clearly enjoying teasing Ichigo and watching the blush slowly rise to his face as he realised that all of Soul Society probably knew about his dating life now. 

“That’s… We’re not… we’renotactuallydating” Ichigo mumbled into his palms, covering his mortified face. 

“What do you mean you’re not actually dating? You were holding hands, you almost kissed!” Rukia looked at Ichigo with bewilderment, surely he was joking, right?

“I _tried_ to ask him out! But he took me complaining about goat-face as me wanting a fake boyfriend to get him off my back!” Ichigo gestured angrily as he spoke lowly, being careful that his family wouldn’t overhear. Rukia, who had no such worries, snorted loudly at him.

“And you didn’t try to explain that you’ve been mooning over him since the end of the war?” Ichigo just glared.

“And say what, ‘Hey Kisuke, I know you’re just pretending to be into me but I’ve been painfully into you for years and it would be _super_ cool if you would be my _real_ boyfriend instead?’ Yeah, I’m sure that would go over well.” Sarcasm and bitterness weighed heavily in Ichigo’s voice, Kisuke had become a dear friend throughout the years, but there was no way he felt the same way. He was a good actor, and good at throwing people off of their defences but that’s just it. He was _acting_. He was being a good friend and trying to help Ichigo with his father, that’s it. 

“If you can’t tell him with words, then show him with your actions! Be bold, stupid! Do something he can’t misinterpret. He’s a genius, right? Surely he can figure it out.” Rukia pumped her fists in the air with enthusiasm for emphasis as she tried to hype Ichigo up. 

“Haven’t I been bold enough already? I tried to kiss him!” Ichigo all but growled in frustration, hands back in his hair, gripping it tightly. 

“But that was near your _family._ You can’t just get at him right after having dinner with your family, of course he’s going to think it’s for the lie! I can draw a diagram for you if it’ll help get the point into your thick skull.” Rukia pulled a sketchbook from Soul King knows where and uncapped a marker eagerly, a gleeful, slightly sadistic, grin stretching across her face. Ichigo was quickly on his feet, shaking his head and waving his hands,

“No no, that’s really not necessary Rukia, I get it. I had bad timing. Please don’t draw anything.” Rukia capped her marker and a sudden seriousness came over her, her grin falling.

“Really though, Ichigo. I want you to be happy. If Urahara makes you happy then I’m happy, but you need to sort this out. Be honest with him, and if he’s an ass about it then you have all of Soul Society on your side.” Ichigo sighed and smiled softly, pulling Rukia to his chest in a hug. He had no doubt Rukia would gladly go breaking down Kisuke’s door if he hurt Ichigo, even if Ichigo doubted it would be needed. Despite the fronts he put up Kisuke was kind almost to a fault, regardless of who he had been in the past. He had more than made up for anything he had done before, and would likely sooner cut off his hand than intentionally hurt Ichigo in any way. 

“Thanks, Rukia.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did much really happen this chapter? Not really. But Kisuke is maybe one step closer to realising that Ichigo is serious and Ichigo had some much-needed friend therapy. Kisuke is holding on to a lot of baggage he's gotta get through.   
> Not sure when the next chapter will be coming, I'm a bit busy the next couple weeks but I am very excited about upcoming scenes!   
> Thank you very much everyone for the comments and kudos, they are definitely part of the reason this chapter came so fast and I really appreciate everyone who reads my story <3


	4. A Friendly Chat

“Is this some kind of joke to you?” Isshin stormed into the Shoten one afternoon a few days after what Kisuke had thought had been a rather successful family dinner. 

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about Kurosaki-san. Isn’t life a joke after all this world has been through?” Kisuke opened his fan to shield the frown on his face from Isshin. He knew the man had been hiding his anger at dinner, but his visit was unexpected; though maybe it shouldn’t have been, knowing his family. 

“Don’t play games with me Kisuke, just what do you think you’re doing with my son?” Right to the point then, no need for pleasantries or manners when his family was involved. Kisuke almost found himself missing the dramatics from the other night. The laser focus of his gaze could be ignored more easily when he was crying crocodile tears. 

“Dating him?” Kisuke spoke in a bland voice, he had to be on his guard here, even more so without Ichigo and his sisters to serve as a distraction. Behind the bluff and bluster, Isshin was still a highly skilled Shinigami, and while he didn’t have the same training Kisuke did, a single misstep could spell disaster for Ichigo and Kisuke both. “If you’re worried about my _intentions_ , Kurosaki-san, then please take a seat. I’m sure we can talk it out like adults, maybe over a cup of tea?” Hospitality would work. Kill him with kindness as they say. As long as Kisuke didn’t act suspicious, Isshin would have no reason to be suspicious… aside from the fact that he thought Kisuke was dating his son, that is. Isshin begrudgingly followed Kisuke to the kitchen, then to the family room. He sat across from Kisuke, his face hard, radiating only anger and disapproval. 

“Now that we have our _tea_ ,” He spoke the word with disdain, his feelings about the rituals of polite hospitality clear in his tone, “What exactly are your intentions with my son?”

“What do _you_ think they are, Kurosaki-san?” Kisuke plastered a fake, mild smile to his face. Not unpleasant but Isshin surely already knew Kisuke wasn’t happy. “What makes you think that any of this was my doing? Ichigo is quite an exceptional young man.” Stick to the truth until lies are needed, don’t give more away than necessary; this mantra looped through Kisuke’s mind. Anything too blatantly untrue would be caught immediately, but blatant, outrageous lies were more fun, and oh did Kisuke want to toy with the man. He was enough of a nuisance to Ichigo that he more than deserved a taste of his own medicine, but alas, Ichigos’ happiness was more important than the chance to mock his father.

“I know what kind of man you are, Kisuke, does he? Does he know the things you’ve done for Soul Society? The people you manipulated like puppets? The people you’ve killed in cold blood?” Ah, so Isshin was taking cheap shots then. It was unfortunate Kisuke had to be the bigger man, it would be all too easy to take similar shots at him. “People are just experiments to you, things to poke and prod until you get the reactions you’re looking for and I will not let you use my son like that.”

“I don’t know what kind of man you take me for these days, _Isshin_ , but I am far from the man you claim to know I am.” His bland smile turned venomous and his eyes hardened. Isshin may have been right, at one time in Kisuke’s life, but those times were far behind him now. “We souls may be long-lived, but we are capable of change. I, for instance, have changed, which is in no small part to do with your son. I can say without hesitation that knowing Ichigo has helped me to become a better person, can you say the same?” That man still existed in Kisuke, and would likely never leave. But as those experiences had shaped him, so had knowing Ichigo. That man cared ferociously and all consumingly; A protector indeed. “If you hated the man I was so much, then why let me help you? Why let me teach Ichigo if you did not trust me? Was it only because you had no other choice Isshin, is that why you’re upset? Because Ichigo chose me when he _had_ other choices? I assure you Kurosaki-san, all of this has been Ichigo’s choice, he knows what I did and who I was. Against all sense he forgave me and I would not forsake or take that forgiveness for granted.” The venom in Kisuke’s voice softened as he spoke. The harness behind his eyes fading into unnamed emotion. Isshin studied him carefully and Kisuke almost felt like he had said too much, despite only speaking the truth. It was certainly the most he had said to Isshin in years.

“He really has changed you, huh?” Isshin spoke quietly, almost to himself. “I can’t say I’ve ever seen you this open, usually you hide behind one of your masks.” This was a mask, wasn’t it? Kisuke certainly cared for Ichigo but loving him? That was a lie, a ruse, an act that he was putting on _for_ Isshin’s sake. Right? “If you hurt my son I _will_ kill you, you know?” The threat was blunt but Kisuke knew it was no bluff. Kisuke could easily take him in a fight, but he would not be able to make the killing blow. Despite everything, Ichigo loved his father. The pain it would cause Ichigo to lose him would still Kisuke’s hand at that crucial moment. A far cry from the man he had been in Soul Society. Ichigo truly had changed him, hadn’t he? Kisuke would never again be the same man he was and yet he didn’t care. “My son obviously cares for you deeply. You and I both know he doesn’t give up on the people he loves easily. _Don’t_ fuck this up.” With that Isshin got up and left, leaving a now cool cup of tea untouched on the table and Kisuke’s thoughts swirling like a blizzard in his mind. Ichigo didn’t actually… Kisuke certainly didn’t… did he? Could he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kisuke starting to realize things? It's more likely than you think.  
> Despite not liking him much, I think the different aspects of Isshin's personality and the front he puts up in front of his famity create an interesting dynamic, espcially when he's interacting with Kisuke
> 
> I'm super excited for the next chapter and I can't wait to share it with you all, that being said, the end is nigh and I think there are probably only two or three chapters left. More fun UraIchi fics will come after though so keep an eye out! 
> 
> Let me know what you thought! Your continued support through kudos and comments make my week! <3


	5. Glory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have nothing to say for myself, this chapter is entirely soft and self-indulgent but I love it.
> 
> Chapter title from Glory by Bastille, which is also recommended listening while you read if that's something you enjoy :)

A cool breeze swept across the porch as Kisuke walked out, looking for Ichigo. He found his target sitting on the step, gazing up at the starlit sky with a melancholy expression, his thoughts seemingly a million miles away. Kisuke settled beside him quietly, not wanting to pull the other man from his thoughts. Kisuke took the moment of silent peace to study Ichigo. He usually carried so much tension in every part of him, a hardness behind his eyes as if to shield him from the cruelties of this world; that tension was notably absent, he just looked… weary. His defences were down and in their place, a tired sadness shone through. He leaned back, stretching his hands out behind his back to support himself, and sighed wistfully. 

“Sometimes I forget it’s all over…” Ichigo looked at Kisuke then, for the first time that evening. There were dark circles under his eyes, his shoulders slumped, weighed down like Atlas with the weight of the world. “They gave me all these honours and thank-yous but what do they even matter when I’m so _tired_?” His voice broke on the last word, betraying just how deep that tiredness ran. Kisuke knew. The fatigue that strained physically, mentally, _emotionally_ ; It was all-encompassing and felt never-ending.

“Soul Society demands much and gives little in return. They forget that you’re human.” Kisuke spoke softly, “What is merely a blink to some of them is a lifetime for you. They forget that the glory following a battle comes and goes in an instant, but the instincts of war and conflict linger our entire lives, and they have much more time to become accustomed to their instincts.” 

“It all just feels so… empty.” Kisuke frowned and shifted towards Ichigo, moving to take his hand before thinking better of it. His hand hovered awkwardly in the air for a moment, there was no one with them, who was he to say if Ichigo would want to hold his hand without the pretence of the arrangement. Instead, his hand landed less than a centimetre away from Ichigos’, close enough to feel the warmth emanating from the man but just far enough not to touch. 

“It will, for a while.” There was no use sugarcoating things for Ichigo, he could always see through it, “You have other things to help you feel whole again though, things that make the emptiness less overwhelming; even if they’re just a temporary distraction.” Things Kisuke barely had when he had been exiled, like friends who didn’t despise him, family, a purpose beyond being a tool of the Soul Society.

“Distractions don’t help much when I can’t focus. I feel like I’m just _waiting_ for the next battle to take me out of class, to wake me up in the middle of the night. The others try to understand, they were there for it; but it wasn’t the same. They weren’t -” _Weapons_. Not in the same way Ichigo had been. Not the way he had been made to be. The way Kisuke had a hand in making him be. 

“Ichigo… I - I’m sorry for the hand I played in that. I know I’ve said it before but…” _I shouldn’t have treated you as a means to an end. You’re so much more than just the end product of a particularly risky and interesting experiment._ Ichigo shifted closer to Kisuke then, almost close enough to rest his head on Kisuke’s chest. 

“ _Kisuke_ ,” Oh, and there was his name again, spoken in that voice that he didn’t know the meaning behind but knew that he wanted to hear it all the time. Slightly breathy, almost a whisper but brimming with underlying emotion. “You’ve apologized more than enough times, for everything. It’s - it’s a bit messed up but if it weren’t for you I might literally not exist, I definitely would have died by now. You always believed in me. You knew what I could do better than I did and you pushed me to be better, do better. I don’t know what you think you did, but you helped me, more than anyone else.” Ichigo dropped eye contact then and settled his head against Kisuke’s chest. Every muscle in Kisuke’s body tensed up, the casual intimacy throwing every part of his brain for a loop and making his heart feel like it would beat out of his chest. He felt his face grow warm as Ichigo made himself comfortable against Kisuke. Ichigo let out a small sigh and looked back up at the stars once he was settled, “We literally saved the world, and here we are,” he let out a soft snort, “I’m an English major, and you’re still running your shop. Some war heroes we are, huh?” A smile crossed his face as he scoffed and shook his head, further rubbing the back of his head against Kisuke’s chest, his forehead close enough to brush Kisuke’s cheek. Just as the tension was starting to leave him Ichigo had to do that, the thoughtless touch certainly wasn’t unwelcome just… new. Kisuke smiled through the tension though, 

“I’ll order t-shirts to sell in the shoten, ‘I defeated Ywach and all I got was this stupid t-shirt’,” Ichigo cracked up, his laugh warming the cool air around them. 

“I’ll buy all of them, I’ll wear a different colour every day. It’ll be the only shirt I ever wear again, I swear Kisuke.” Ichigo’s laugh shook his whole body and reverberated through Kisuke. He was warmed through to his core, to make Ichigo laugh like that. It would be nice to have more nights like this. And that was just it, wasn’t it? Kisuke wanted Ichigo around in a way he wanted very few people. Were it anyone else using him as a leaning post he would have moved before they had even come close to touching him, let alone let them make themselves comfortable. Kisuke always knew Ichigo was special, but this was a different kind of special. He used to be special as a concept, an interesting blend of genetics that made something spectacular and unseen. Now he was special to Kisuke as a person, led by feelings rather than fact. The way he made Kisuke smile genuinely, the way Kisuke would do anything Ichigo asked of him. He had tried so hard to justify it, say that it was just because Ichigo had saved them all and he _owed_ him but maybe there was a simpler explanation. Maybe he would do it just because it was Ichigo who asked. No obligations, just lo- 

Kisuke was roused from his thoughts by the feeling of Ichigo’s head growing heavy on his chest, his head slipping down slightly. He must have been lost in thought for a while, as Ichigo seemed to be dozing off. That was good, sleep could be hard to come by for Ichigo as evidenced by the many late nights he had spent at the shoten doing homework and training. But… Kisuke couldn’t move. If he tried he would surely wake Ichigo and ruin whatever snippet of rest he would get that night. He sighed and smiled softly, making minute adjustments to be more comfortable and trying to let the tension drain from his body while resigning himself to his fate as a pillow for however long Ichigo stayed asleep.

Ichigo looked peaceful - not innocent - but more at ease than Kisuke had ever seen the man. There was no furrow in his brow, no scowl on his lips, just serenity as slow, deep breaths passed through slightly parted lips. Time passed unnoticed as Kisuke took in Ichigo’s sleeping features, the way his light eyelashes just barely brushed the highest point of his cheeks, cheeks that were slightly blushed from the chill of the air around them. If Kisuke gently brushed Ichigo’s bangs from his eyes with nothing but tenderness in his gaze but no one was around to see it, did it really happen? 

Kisuke couldn’t say how many hours had passed like that, only that the sun had just started to rise as Ichigo awoke slowly. The first shafts of sunlight illuminated his hair to an even more brilliant orange and revealed the darkening blush on his cheeks as he drowsily looked into Kisuke’s eyes in shock. 

Kisuke smiled down at him, “Good morning, Ichigo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this house we are soft and introspective and that's all there is to it. Honestly though this is my favourite chapter. Stiiiiillll not sure if the next chapter will be the last or if there will be another after it, it'll be a surprise for all of us haha. 
> 
> Hope y'all enjoyed just like, all of this gd fluff.  
> Leave a kudos and let me know what you thought, I love seeing all of your reactions! <3


	6. All Good Things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long but here we are! I really struggled with how this chapter was going to go but I'm ultimately happy with how it turned out. Hope you all enjoy the culmination of so, so much pining! <3

Another still night. It was silent, with not even the wind sounding off outside. It would be uncharacteristically dramatic for Kisuke to say it was because of the absence of Ichigo and yet… That did seem to be the missing variable. Kisuke’s feelings had been rising slowly like a wave every moment he spent around him and now that he was home in the city for longer than usual the wave had crested and left Kisuke adrift in a sea of unfamiliar emotion. 

Ichigo had apologized profusely for falling asleep on Kisuke, but those apologies were brushed off, he had obviously needed the sleep. If Kisuke enjoyed being his pillow, enjoyed being close to the other man it wasn’t important enough to say. And now without that intimacy 

Kisuke felt cold. It wasn’t as if this was the longest Ichigo had ever been absent from the shoten, not even close and yet… 

And yet it was different this time. Kisuke couldn’t wait for Ichigo to return, but he was powerless to bring him back. Not even a shinigami can fight the bureaucracies and mandates of university exams. He needed to talk to Ichigo, he was distracted, worried over mundane things that he _knew_ Ichigo could handle. This wasn’t who he was. He had lost the control he held so tightly over himself. He couldn’t continue on like this.

The Urahara Shoten seemed to be Ichigo’s first stop when he came back to Karakura Town. He seemed to have a weight lifted from his shoulders without the looming stress of exam season. When he smiled Kisuke was left breathless. He welcomed Ichigo in and gave him the space to relax and be comfortable. He would always be welcome here, it was as much Ichigo’s home as it was Kisuke’s at this point, and Kisuke wouldn’t take that away from him. But still, as Kisuke sat beside him, they needed to talk. 

“Ichigo… I can’t… We can’t do this anymore. It’s not fair to you. You deserve to be human, Ichigo. I would only be holding you back from that. I fear that if I do not let you go now I may never be able to…” His words were stilted, hard to get out. The last sentence was spoken softly, afraid to confess something he had never admitted to himself up until this point. Ichigo’s expression changed rapidly while Kisuke spoke, ranging from wide-eyed shock and disbelief to annoyance. He let out an indignant snort and looked at Kisuke with a fire in his eyes,

“You really are a dumbass, huh?” He shook his head slowly as he let out a low chuckle, voice softening as he continued “I _chose_ this Kisuke, I chose _you_. I haven’t been human in the way you’re thinking in a long time, and I don’t need that to be happy. I _am_ happy.”

“I’m not right for you Ichigo… I’m too selfish, too consumed by my work and caught up in research.” Kisuke’s eyes were glued to the ground, unable to keep up his usual bravado while he was speaking from his heart. Ichigo cupped Kisuke’s chin and gently lifted his face to look him in the eyes,

“You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know, but you’re not as selfish as you think you are. I know you. I know what you’ve done and what you’ve been through. That doesn’t change how I feel. You understand me, at least most of the time,” He laughed again, though it wasn’t more than a sharp exhale through his nose. “I still don’t know how you misunderstood me so badly, isn’t the problem usually that I’m _too_ blunt?” 

“I uh- in all honesty, I did not think you would be interested in me in that way. It was so unbelievable to me that I thought there had to be an ulterior motive.” Kisuke once again wished he had his fan on him to shield his face, Ichigo seemed to make him feel that way quite a lot. 

“You could have asked? I wasn’t exactly subtle; all of soul society knew before you even came for dinner!” Ichigo’s definition of subtle must have been different from Kisuke’s. There was a story behind Ichigo knowing how fast the Soul Society rumour mill worked, now did not seem the time to ask.

“That ah, may have inadvertently been my fault. Yoruichi came to visit. I didn’t even consider that I may reciprocate your feelings until she all but told me that I did.” Ichigo stared blankly at Kisuke as he took in Kisuke’s words, his face suddenly scrunching into a smile laughing once again at Kisuke’s ineptitude. 

“She had to tell you? God, you’re so - _fuck_ \- how do I love you?” And as if that wasn’t enough to send Kisuke’s thoughts screeching into a tailspin, Ichigo used the hand still caressing Kisuke’s face to pull him into a kiss. If he thought the rise of his feelings before were waves, then this kiss was a tsunami breaking open the floodgates. All reason and reservations were destroyed in an instant, how could Kisuke have ever thought he didn’t love this man? It seemed so obvious at that moment. All too soon Ichigo was pulling away and Kisuke was once again left adrift, though now his feelings were like a whirlpool, pulling him deeper and deeper.

“Was that subtle enough for you?” Ichigo sounded breathless, Kisuke could only hope that small kiss had affected him just as much.

“I’m an idiot.” A small smirk flashed across Ichigo’s strawberry cheeks.

“Now you’re catching on. You don’t need to be afraid of _feeling_ things Kisuke. Feelings can be good sometimes.” Another breathless laugh, “Pretty sure feelings are what started all of this.” Kisuke’s mind was still reeling, he had once again underestimated Ichigo, had never once considered Ichigo might share his feelings. He really needed to stop trying to anticipate outcomes with that man.

“Does this mean you’d accompany me on a date this evening? A real one this time.” Kisuke reached out to hold Ichigo’s hand in his own, hesitant but slowly becoming more sure. 

“I’d say it’s about time we had a real date. I still can’t believe Yoruichi had to tell you that you liked me, she’s never gonna let that go.” Ichigo’s smile only became wider as he shook his head at Kisuke, giving his hand a loving squeeze.

“I’ve done plenty more embarrassing things, and I’m sure there will be many more. But yes, she will hold this over me, for much too long.” Kisuke slumped in defeat, but the mirth in Ichigo’s eyes brought a smile to his face.

“Remind me to thank her later… and ask for those stories.” Kisuke rolled his eyes and pulled Ichigo in, muffling his laughter in a soft kiss, trying to pour all of the things he didn’t yet have words for into it. Maybe he couldn’t anticipate all of the things that Ichigo would do, but he would have plenty of time to try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writer's block hit me hard for this but I was determined to finish it by tonight because I knew it wouldn't get finished otherwise. But I did it! I can now descend into new WoW expansion hell without regrets.   
> This chapter went through quite a few iterations but I like how it ended up and I hope y'all do too! Let me know your thoughts in a comment! <3
> 
> I'll be disappearing for a bit between work and vidya games but I'm hoping to have something posted for the UraIchi winter prompt challenge so keep an eye out for that maybe! Thanks for coming with me on this fluffy journey, its been a lot of fun :)

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! I have a good portion of the next chapter written so hopefully I'll have it up soonish. Dinner with the Kurosakis!


End file.
